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American Committee 
for Devastated France 

^changTI 

Summary of AUG 4 J944 
Six Months' Accomplishment 
in France 

From April 1st to September 30th, 1922 

and 

Program for the 
Termination of the Work 




American Committee 
for Devastated France 



Summary of 

Six Months' Accomplishment 

in France 

From April ist to September 30th, 1922 

and 

Program for the 
Termination of the Work 




American Headquarters French Headquarters 

16 East 39th Street 15, boulevard Lannes 

NEW YORK PARIS 



2)1*51 
Summary of Six Months' Accomplishment in France 

From April ist to September 30th, ig22 

And Program for the Termination of the Work 



MANY of you will remember that in the autumn of 1921 the 
question preeminent in the minds of the Executives of this 
Committee, both in America and in France, was, "Has the time come 
to withdraw from France in part or in whole?" The earnest desire 
of all members was to determine which of the services of the Com- 
mittee justified further effort to insure their development on logical 
and permanent lines. 

In January, 1922, we submitted to the Directors' Meeting the 
following paper which outlines the future policy of the Committee 
until April 1, 1923. This policy was approved and authorized by 
the Board of Directors; and the work from January to April, 1922, 
was continued according to the lines it had drawn; this work was 
reported in the last Annual Report. 

Before reporting on the last six months and giving an outline 
of the final form of the work in France, it will be necessary to review 
this paper, which is as follows : 

ORIGIN OF THE COMMITTEE 

In the winter of 1916-1917 this Committee, then in its infancy, 
set forth to France on a mission vaguely understood, but profoundly 
inspired by the belief that a small group could and would express 
the sentiment of a great many Americans for the war sufferers in 
devastated France. , 

With the utmost generosity of complete confidence the mission 
was started on its way without any effort of control or direction 
coming from America, but full power was given to express the 
earnest desire of the Committee in any policy which the mission 
saw fit. 

Upheld by these generous ideals, we began work in the Depart- 
ment of the Aisne which had recently been evacuated by the back- 
ward march of the German Armies to the Hindenburg Line. 

Our policy — It is necessary to outline briefly the state of mind 
in many organizations such as ours during that spring of 1917. The 
principle of haphazard relief to individuals or the adoption of villages 



was a much debated question. This Committee maintained that 
community centers or organized spheres of action, centralized in the 
field, which had not hitherto been attempted, was the only policy 
to pursue if we were to reach the individual, groups, or communities 
in order to help them to become once more self-sustaining. 

Our experience in the Aisne during the winter of 1917 proved 
beyond doubt that we had adopted the right principle. This policy 
was upheld by the American Red Cross. Our example was followed 
by the Smith College Unit as well as many French war organizations. 

Our mission was evacuated in the offensives of March and May, 
when we followed the refugees of our region to the interior, not 
losing sight of them during this period nor losing sight of those 
who were forced to remain, helpless in the grip of the war zone. 
Again our home committees instantly grasped the human quality of 
our policy and supported us during all this critical period when we 
were trying to hold the morale of our inhabitants and at the same 
time doing emergency war relief for French and American soldiers 
in the line. 

Test of policy — This year proved to be the great test of our 
principle. We were there at our posts when the refugees were al- 
lowed to return in the winter of 1918 to a scene of even greater 
desolation than that which they had left. Material losses on all sides 
had been great, but the gain for this Committee in the confidence of 
the French people was infinitely greater. 

Confidence of population in the Committee — In the winter of 
1918-1919, the war being over, the need for material emergency relief 
was much more intense than even during the winter of 1917-1918. 
Refugees, repatriated from Germany through Switzerland and Laon 
were pouring into the country and many of them, even after the 
first horrible shock of the unforeseen disaster which had befallen 
their homes, steadfastly refused to leave them and set their energies 
to the great work of restoration. 

The first Building Co-operative Society — During the winter our 
Workshop or Atelier was called upon to make rapid provisional 
shelters — to be sure only tar-paper doors and windows — but essential, 
nevertheless, in order to keep the inhabitants alive. The confidence 
of these French people in the Committee, based on the fact that we 
had stood by them during' the evacuation and returned with them 
during this winter of 1918-1919, made it possible for us to make a 
demand upon them for vision in grouping themselves together to 
form Agricultural Syndicates, x<\gricultural Co-operatives, and Build- 



ing Co-operative Societies. In the Department of the Aisne, the 
first Building- Co-operative Society was organized in the Canton of 
Coucy at BLERANCOURT. We asked much from these people 
who were literally, morally, and physically shattered, but we sec- 
onded their courage and energetic measures to live and reclaim the 
battlefields by putting within their reach the food and the stark 
essentials for bodily comfort by our system of rolling stores. Later, 
when the Government established laws providing the inhabitants 
with a certain percentage of war damages, we ceased our gifts and 
asked for partial payment. 

They felt they had two friends — the State and the American 
Committee. 

Material and Moral Reconstruction — Out of this emergency re- 
lief sprang the rudiments of our permanent structure of social serv- 
ice. Stores were reappearing. Government advances were forth- 
coming. Bridges and roads were being repaired, community life 
felt its first impulse of re-establishment. 

In this year of 1922, our Agricultural Syndicates have become 
so strong that they are today indissoluble. Our Atelier has become 
a licensed construction business under contract with the Government 
to do definite building. The majority of our inhabitants are still 
living in poorly provided shelters or barracks, but the fields are 
cleared of shells, roads are repaired, seventy-five per cent of the in- 
habitants have returned and the land almost entirely reclaimed. 
Hand in hand with this MATERIAL RECONSTRUCTION our 
MORAL RECONSTRUCTION reached its apotheosis. Supplied with 
expert American leadership we were able to co-operate with the 
Government in the new laws for Physical Education in the new move- 
ment for Athletics and Sports for the rehabilitation of undermined 
children. 

Public Health, Libraries, Agricultural Syndicates, Co-operatives 
and Construction have been developed in the most amazing way, 
and we have now reached a point where some of these services can 
be eliminated. 

What then will be our policy for 1922? 

Material Reconstruction, Atelier and Agricultural Syndicate — 
We have reached the last and most difficult stage of our work. In 
a letter addressed to the Executive Committee, November 17, 1921, 
I stated that the phase of material reconstruction is no longer our 
chief responsibility ; our work in material reconstruction, however, 



has left us with two definite services, each of which presents a dis- 
tinct problem, and which must be dealt with in summing up the 
final activities of the Committee. These two branches are first, the 
evolution of the Workshop at Blerancourt into a Contracting Busi- 
ness; second, the Agricultural Syndicate at Anizy. 

Moral Reconstruction. Public Health, Libraries, Foyers — On 

the other hand our moral reconstruction has not yet progressed far 
enough to develop unaided. In my letter I chiefly stressed the de- 
sirability of immediate concentration upon the services of Public 
Health, Libraries, and Foyer Activities. 

Public Health Budget for Eighteen Months Frs. : 1.000.000 — 
PUBLIC HEALTH: the profession of Trained Nurses and Public 
Health work according to our Anglo-Saxon standards had never been 
known in France. Training schools for nurses with proper practical 
experience in the hospitals, according to our standards, were a thing 
unknown. This is true all over France with but one exception, the 
Florence Nightingale School at Bordeaux. Therefore, Public Health 
work has never developed. A maximum of six months' practical 
experience after a very insufficient training in a hospital was con- 
sidered adequate. The necessity of properly qualified nurses be- 
came obvious to many of the medical profession during the war and 
it is probable that the large influx of Anglo-Saxon nurses into this 
country and their undeniable superiority over French assistants very 
largely brought the importance of properly qualified nurses before 
the public. 

In 1918 it was obvious to this Committee that if we were to save 
the children and infants of our department we would require profes- 
sional services. Under the able direction of Mrs. Breckinridge and 
Miss Evelyn Walker, a few nurses were recruited from the Bordeaux 
Hospital and the result of their truly remarkable work to save the 
population of our part of the Aisne has developed into thorough District 
Nursing Service in our region. 

It is of extreme importance in justification of past effort and for 
the realization of our aims that this work should continue. Ours is a 
rural district, and with a staff of eighteen nurses we are covering one 
hundred twenty-seven (127) villages and the town of Soissons with a 
population of approximately sixty thousand (60,000) inhabitants. 

Statistics are not always dramatically interesting. They are inevit- 
ably so when they represent actual results in the saving of life. The 
supreme value of our Public Health Nursing is proved by this alone — 
that the French Government reports for the entire Department of the 
Aisne an infant mortality rate of eighty-seven (87) per thousand; and 



that in the region under our nurses' care the rate is thirty-five (35) per 
thousand or three and a half per cent (3*4%) only. 

This service costs the Committee Fifty Thousand Francs (Frs. 
50.000) a month. This sum includes salaries of nurses, maintenance 
of nurses, doctors' fees, supplies, and transportation. For the next 
few years it will be impossible for France to assume this charge: first, 
for lack of nurses; second, this important service is only in its infancy 
in this country ; third, in regard to the present financial condition, France 
has not the necessary budget for an intensive demonstration of this 
type. 

Therefore, I strongly recommend the following course of action: 

That the Committee already formed in France of eminent men 
in the medical profession, in collaboration with the Ministry of 
Hygiene and the American Committee, be asked at once to present 
a plan for the establishment in Paris of a Training School for 
Nurses ; 

THAT this school, if possible, be attached to an already ex- 
isting hospital of at least one hundred fifty (150) beds; 

THAT should no such hospital be found, this Committee be 
asked to make a study for the establishment of such a hospital and 
Nurses' Training School together; 

THAT they should find out definitely how much money could 
be raised for the hospital in France; 

THAT this report be sent to the Committee in America so 
that it may be presented to the Committee already formed there 
under Dr. Winslow in order to see how far his Committee can 
co-operate in these plans and help in the undertaking; 

THAT this Committee in France should form a Sub-Committee 
consisting of Mme. Gervais Courtellmont representing the Min- 
istry of Hygiene, Dr. Calmette, representing the Committee for 
the Training School, and myself, representing the American 
Committee and the Directrice in the Aisne of this service ; 

THAT this sub-committee should take entire charge of the 
demonstration of Public Health in the Aisne. 

THAT it should report regularly to the French Committee but 
that the money necessary for this work should be kept distinct and 
apart from the money for the Training School; 

THAT Dr. Winslow's Committee in America should under- 
take to raise this part of the general budget after April, 1923, for 
a fixed period to be settled later; 



THAT pending the time Dr. Winslow's Committee takes over 
the responsibility of the demonstration of Public Health Nursing 
in the Aisne, the budget for this service be furnished by the 
American Committee and administered by the American Committee 
in France. This would amount in eighteen (18) months to One 
Million Francs (Frs: 1.000.000.) 

Library Budget for eighteen months Frs. 210.000— LIBRARY: 

It was not until 1919 that we realized that the many demands coming 
to us for books apart from school and reference books, needed serious 
consideration. Many books had already found their way into our various 
centers; but at Vic-sur- Aisne the first Free Public Library was organ- 
ized. Girls and boys over the school age, young men and women, as 
well as the old inhabitants who had been deprived of contact with their 
own country through this medium during the war, eagerly sought 
some means to remedy their backwardness on all matters of interest 
pertaining to their own country. 

To-day we have five (5) Free Public Libraries and fifty (50) 
Rolling Libraries containing 13.614 volumes. Reports from each one of 
the centers show a growing use of the library. In all we have had 
14,872 readers who have come to our libraries during the last six 
months. The circulation of our books during this time outside of 
the library has been 42,683 volumes, at a total cost of Eighty Thou- 
sand Francs (Frs: 80.000). The installation figured in last year's 
accounts. 

The extraordinary success of Free Public Libraries in our rural 
districts was enthusiastically appreciated at a conference held at Soissons 
in July, 1921. It was at this time that M. Morel, Difecteur of the 
Bibliotheque Nationale and M. Coyecque, Directeur of the Municipal 
Library of Paris, openly professed their profound admiration for what 
had been done, and made a definite request to the American Committee 
to organize a library on similar lines in the heart of Paris. They pro- 
posed to the American Committee to find the ground and the barrack and 
a large number of books, provided the American Committee would un- 
dertake the direction, organization and administration for one year. They 
further requested the American Committee to assist them in creating a 
channel by which French women will be given the technical training that 
is necessary to carry these libraries on a professional basis. This project 
was immediately put into execution, the Municipality of Paris having 
adopted the plan, and the land being put at the disposal of the American 
Committee for this purpose. Affiliations with the American Library 
Association and the Committee on Franco-American Exchange of 
Scholarships and Fellowships are now being formed in America. 

8 



In our Library work, therefore, there are these three distinct things 
to consider : 

1. To provide for the continuation of the five libraries in 
our own region with their dependent rolling libraries. 

2. The establishment of the Paris Library. 

3. The development of scholarships for French librarians in 
America. 

1. To provide for the continuation of the five libraries in our 
own region — These libraries being fully equipped, we have only to 
consider the question of maintenance. This has been high for the last 
six months owing to the number of trained professional leaders neces- 
sary to the work. We have reduced this American personnel to two 
professionals ; the rest are French women who have been supervised and 
directed by American leadership. 

I estimate therefore, that for the next eighteen (18) months we 
will need a budget of One Hundred Thousand Francs (Frs: 100.000 
for this service while these libraries are still under the administration 
of the American Committee. During this time we shall be able to make 
arrangements in each canton for the future maintenance and develop- 
ment of the library. With the exception of Soissons the libraries situ- 
ated as they are in a rural country, will grant a subsidy for this purpose. 
We estimate, for instance, that for Anizy under our direction and with 
an increase of the library which will be necessary, next year's budget 
will be Thirteen Thousand Francs (Frs: 13.000). But after the with- 
drawal of the American Committee with French partially trained librari- 
ans, and estimating only (20) new books a year and (40) bindings, the 
budget will be only One Thousand Eight Hundred Eighty Francs (Frs: 
1.880) towards which the Maire of Anizy has already engaged the 
Municipality to pay One Thousand Francs (Frs: 1.000) a year, the 
balance to be found through subscriber's fees, for registration cards, 
and an occasional entertainment. 

The Anizy illustration would also apply to Coucy, Vic-sur-Aisne, 
and Blerancourt. The situation at Soissons is different as it is a large 
city. Our hope is that the Free Public Library will be a part of the 
Municipal Reference Library when it is constructed, as the Maire and 
the city librarian are deeply interested in retaining this new library 
movement in their town. 

2, The Establishment of the Paris Library — To direct, organize 
and equip the Paris library we shall require One Hundred Thousand 
Francs (Frs: 100.000) the State having pledged the land, the barrack, 
a certain number of books, and four untrained French library assistants. 



We are assured that this demonstration will meet with unqualified success, 
and once having proved its value to the public, will be followed by the 
building of a permanent Free Library. 

3. The development of scholarships for French libraries in 
America — The French Library Authorities recognized that without 
properly qualified librarians it would be impossible to extend the library 
movement. Relations have been established with the Committee on 
Franco-American Exchange of Scholarships and Fellowships for the 
purpose of selecting candidates for technical training in America. To 
develop this library movement a Committee is to be formed in France 
consisting of a representative of the American Committee, of the Ameri- 
can Library in Paris, of the Bibliotheque Nationale, of the Municipal 
Library of Paris, and from each of our cantons. A similar Committee 
is to be formed in America under the chairmanship of Dr. Anderson 
of the New York Public Library which will have as members representa- 
tives of the library schools and of the American Committee. This Com- 
mittee will outline certain courses of instruction, special examinations 
and certificates for French students for the purpose of giving an oppor- 
tunity to the French students of the best technical training that America 
can supply. This will require a budget of Ten Thousand Francs (Frs: 
10.000). 

General work Budget for next eighteen months dependent upon 
America— GENERAL SOCIAL WORK: Apart from the definite 
branches of our work: Public Health. Libraries. Construction, and 
Syndicates, the rest of our work must be considered as a whole, though 
it is divided under the headings of Blerancourt Hospital. Children's 
Work (including Boy Scouts), Recreation, Education (with its sub- 
headings of Manual Training, Canning, and Domestic Science) General 
Agriculture, Transportation, and Material Aid. 

The Administration of these services depends upon the mainten- 
ance of a Paris Office, a Warehouse, and the five Field Centers. All 
of these services for the last six months have cost us approximately Two 
Million Francs (Frs: 2.000.000). It is obviously impossible to make 
a definite outline for the closing down of these services until we know 
definitely how large a budget you can secure for us. As it now stands 
these services are so organized that should the money not be forthcom- 
ing we could close every department except that of transportation at 
thirty day's notice. This would obviously be disastrous ; and for the 
present I hope to continue it at the rate of from Twelve to Fifteen 
Thousand Dollars ($12,000— $15,000) a month, which is what the 
Executive Committee has promised us as a minimum until April. If at 
that time the National Committee can give me any definite information 

10 



as to what part of the Five Million Francs (Frs: 5.000.000) still re- 
maining of the Seven Million Five Hundred Thousand Francs (Frs: 
7.500.000) budget accepted in April 1921, we can hope to have, I can 
furnish them with a definite plan for liquidation. 

Our policy in the future is toward elimination and not extension. 
The elimination must be intelligently done according to the local con- 
ditions in each canton. In certain villages when the conditions are very 
bad, we look upon our social service work as an emergency program. 
In other villages where community life is much stronger we propose 
within the year 1922-23 to form local committees to eventually take over 
certain branches of our work permanently ; as at the present moment 
all this work is housed in temporary barracks, this will include the erec- 
tion of permanent buildings, it is therefore impossible to say how much 
we can do until we know how much money we can have for this pur- 
pose. We definitely know to-day that we shall require in each canton 
some permanent building. By the purchase of the house at Vic-sur- 
Aisne this has in part been provided for. By the purchase of the 
property at Blerancourt and Crouy, this has also been provided for. By 
the promise of land by the Municipalities at Anizy and Coucy, we are 
tending towards the attainment of this end. In pursuance of this same 
policy towards permanent plans, we have advanced the town of Soissons 
the sum of One Hundred Fifty Thousand Francs (Frs: 150.000) for a 
Municipal Athletic Field. This the Municipality has pledged to reim- 
burse us within five (5) years, the reimbursements, when made to 
the Committee, to be applied to the Goutte de Lait and the addition 
of a wing to the Municipal Library. 

By arrangements made with the Tennis Association of Reims, we 
have advanced One Hundred Forty Thousand Francs, (Frs: 140.000) 
and have promised further advance of Two Hundred Forty Thousand 
Francs (Frs: 240.000) for the laying out of tennis courts and the erec- 
tion of a club for the people of Reims, this Association has pledged 
itself to repay within ten years Two Hundred Thousand Francs (Frs: 
200.000) which will revert to the further development of our Public 
Health Service in the Department of the Aisne. 

We have already cut down two of our services: Physical Education 
and Athletics. As soon as the winter is over, certainly by April first, 
we shall begin to eliminate some of our Foyers and standardize those 
that remain, concentrating upon those villages where we have organized 
local committees and where our Foyer Activities will eventually be en- 
closed in a permanent building. 

11 



Summary of Social Reconstruction— TO SUMMARIZE, there- 
fore, our social reconstruction will need for the definite liquidation of 
the work, for 

PUBLIC HEALTH Frs. 1.000.000 

LIBRARIES, including the Paris Library 210.000 

FOR GENERAL WORK, as much of 5.000.000 

as the National Committee considers itself able to raise. 

Material reconstruction — Therefore, there remains the question 
of MATERIAL RECONSTRUCTION, referred to in the earlier part 
of this statement. 

Atelier — In 1917 a flourishing Construction Business was by no 
means a part of the policy of this Committee. It naturally grew out 
of the needs of the people and to-day possesses their confidence as well 
as that of the Building Co-operative Society. Other contractors have 
come to the region but have been obliged to withdraw before their work 
was accomplished. 

What will we do with this valuable asset represented by the capital 
invested in the plant, supplies, and the confidence of the people? This 
latter is a delicate matter and adds considerably to the problem. 

For the last three months the American Committee has not found 
it necessary to advance any money to this business. We have obtained 
from the Building Co-operative Society a definite contract of Two 
Million Francs (Frs: 2.000.000) of construction for the year, December 
1921 — December 1922. The expenses for running this business are to 
be met by regular payments of not less than One Hundred Fifty Thous- 
and Francs (Frs: 150.000) a month against their accrued indebtedness 
to us of Five Hundred Thousand Francs (Frs: 500.000) for work done 
in the past. Our problem is, however, to accomplish One Hundred 
Fifty Thousand Francs (Frs: 150.000) of work every month so that 
the indebtedness of the State remains the same in spite of their regular 
payments. To accomplish our work we must increase the number of 
our workmen and house them ; we must also have sufficient margin for 
the purchase of raw material. The present capital value of our plant, 
consisting of machinery and raw material, a leased stone quarry and 
twenty (20) hectares of woodlands, represents an investment of about 
Five Hundred Thousand Francs (Frs: 500.000). 

Capital should be increased by Frs: 750.000 — This should now be 
increased by Seven Hundred Fifty Thousand Francs (Frs: 750.000) 
making a total capital invested of One Million Two Hundred Fifty 
Thousand Francs (Frs: 1.250.000). 

The future of the liquidation depends upon action being taken 
now. Should the work of 1922 be successful, it would be nothing 

12 



short of a calamity to liquidate this plant at that date. There will 
be unquestionably a profit on work already accomplished. This 
profit should be reinvested in the concern and the work should be 
continued for a year or two. When all of Blerancourt and Bleran- 
courdelle are reconstructed, however, there will be a very large 
profit to distribute. Therefore, our plan is to study this matter care- 
fully for the next six months with the very best advice we can find in 
France ; according to this advice we shall form this concern into a 
French stock company, the American Committee holding a majority of 
the stock so that a large proportion of the profits will revert in form of 
endowment to its activities which we leave permanently in the Aisne. 

Agricultural Syndicate Donation of Frs: 50.000 to Anizy, an- 
other Frs. 50.000 as fund for returning farmers— AGRICULTURAL 
SYNDICATE. The Agricultural Syndicate formed by this Committee 
in the Canton of Coucy-le-Chateau is now self-sustaining. Of the money 
advanced to set the machinery in motion there is still a balance to be 
repaid to the Committee of Thirty Thousand Francs (Frs: 30.000) 
which is promised for the month of February, 1923. 

The situation is not the same, however, in the Canton of Anizy, 
almost entirely situated in the Zone Rouge. The population is much 
more scattered and there are no large proprietors. The Syndicate of 
Anizy, however, shows every sign of becoming as strong as the Syndi- 
cate of Coucy-le-Chateau. We are being re-imbursed these payments 
advanced to them in 1921, for the purchase of fertilizer and machinery. 
This indebtedness will be entirely repaid by the autumn of 1922. In 
consideration of the stupendous effort made by these farmers we feel 
their syndicate should be strengthened by the organization of a Farmer's 
Cooperative similar to that we established in the Canton of Coucy. This 
will enable the farmers as well as the farm laborers to buy material at 
very much lower prices. For this purpose we wish to make a donation 
to the Syndicate of Anizy of Fifty Thousand Francs (Frs: 50.000). 
In addition to this we should have a margin of another Fifty Thousand 
Francs (Frs: 50.000) as a fund for the farmers who have not re- 
turned and are expecting to return this summer. 

Summary of Material reconstruction. This with moral recon- 
struction makes total budget of Frs: 7.060.000— TO SUMMARIZE 
THE MATERIAL RECONSTRUCTION therefore, we wish Seven 
Hundred Fifty Thousand Francs (Frs: 750.000) for the Atelier, and 
One Hundred Thousand Francs (Frs: 100.000) for the Agricultural 
Syndicate at Anizy, making Eight Hundred Fifty Thousand Francs 
(Frs : 850.000) together with the budget for the moral reconstruc- 
tion, this means a total budget of Seven Million Sixty Thousand 
Francs (Frs: 7.060.000). 

13 



This would be the ideal liquidation of the American Committee and 
we know that if by April 1923 we shall have received the sum of Seven 
Million Sixty Thousand Francs (Frs: 7.060.000) representing at the 
exchange of twelve francs to the dollar the sum of Six Hundred 
Thousand Dollars ($600,000) the situation would be as follows: 

Public Health — The demonstration of Public Health Service in 
the Aisne will be still existing on the same intensive basis as at present, 
under the control of the French Committee, and dependent for its future 
assistance upon Dr. Winslow's Committee in America for a further sub- 
sidy for a period then to be fixed. But if by April 1923 the French 
Committee under Dr. Calmette and the American Committee under Dr. 
Winslow, have not agreed upon a project of a Hospital and Training 
School in France, the Public Health Service of this Committee in the 
Department of the Aisne will cease. 

Libraries — Our rural libraries would be directed by French Li- 
brarians and would be under the control of the Municipal Committees, 
these Municipal Committees to be in direct relation with the French 
Library Committee in Paris. 

General work— The four field centers of Blerancourt, Anizy, 
Coucy, and Vic-sur-Aisne will contain a small group representing those 
definite services, which local committees or municipalities pledge them- 
selves to continue. However, it may be necessary in the event of this 
Committee constructing permanent buildings to still have an Ameri- 
can representative in each center, until the fulfillment of the plans 
outlined for each. The Center of Soissons, however, will be treated 
differently. The Municipality of Soissons has already under- 
taken the housing of our Public Health Service. The same 
arrangement will be made by the Municipality for the libraries. It will 
be necessary, however, to have here an American representative to 
supervise and control relations between the Municipality and the Ameri- 
can Committee until the close of these services and the completion of the 
Athletic Field. 

Atelier— OiUR CONSTRUCTION BUSINESS will be organ- 
ized into a stock company and having accomplished its Two Million 
Francs' worth of construction will have a further contract in hand. 

Agricultural Syndicate— THE AGRICULTURAL SYNDI- 
CATE at Anizy will be self-sustaining and as strong as that in 
the Canton of Coucy to-day. 

Paris Office— THE PARIS OFFICE will consist of a skeleton 
organization occupying one half of its present quarters, sufficiently large 
to carry out the administrative work necessary at that time. 

14 



In conclusion — These are the dry, bare details of the material 
liquidation of a tremendous piece of work. We know that we are 
making a continued appeal to the generosity and understanding of 
America, but we know that the amount of effort and sentiment repre- 
sented by the years of activity of this Committee can be rounded out 
on the plan outlined in this statement. It is essential, however, that we 
should know within a few months how much in earnest you are towards 
accomplishing this achievement, because the wheels must be set in 
motion now. 

The time has come now, however, not only to report the work 
already accomplished from April, 1922, to date, but to plan still 
further than April, 1923. Following the outline, therefore, as pre- 
sented, we shall begin in each case with the definite accomplishment 
of the first six months, the immediate prospect until April 1, and 
then the definite plans for the future. 

BUILDING ENTERPRISE 

The success of the past six months has far exceeded our hopes 
and has proved to be one of the most amazing adventures of the 
American Committee. The following is a resume of the work ac- 
complished during the six months' time from April 1 to Septem- 
ber 30th: 

Work Accomplished from April 1st to September. 30th 

Repairs In Progress Finished 

Houses repaired 32 34 

Barns, Agricultural buildings. 

Farms repaired 11 20 

Reconstruction 

Houses 18 

Barns 3 

Agricultural hangars 3 

During this period we have executed work for the Building 
Co-operative to the value of Frs : 2.052.577.11. We have received 
from the Government in payment for this Frs: 1.449.675.33, accord- 
ing to their system of paying 80% on verified accounts, and the 
balance when the work is completed. Raw materials amounting 
to Frs.: 671.489.46 were purchased. At the height of the building 
period we increased our staff to 239. This number was reduced 
again by the 30th of September to 176 men ; 40 of these men and 
five families are lodged in brick barracks erected on the property 
•owned by the Enterprise ; 10 other buildings in the village, which 
have been repaired by the Committee, are rented by individual 
workmen. 

15 




Town Hall of Blerancourt in process of reconstruction by The American 

Committee's construction shop. 



This extraordinary development, and the consequently neces- 
sary increase in plant and equipment has resulted in a profit, from 
the beginning of the Enterprise of Frs. : 251.247.99, which has been 
re-invested in the plant. It shows the importance of the role that 
the enterprise is destined to play in the reconstruction of Bleran- 
court and Blerancourdelle. 

Reconstruction in France Today — To foresee this clearly, how- 
ever, one must understand reconstruction in France as it is today. 
The experience of the last two years in this problem has only served 
to strengthen the situation of the Federation of the Co-operative 
Societies in the devastated area. Mushroom contractors are being 
weeded out. New circulars, contradictory in text and causing con- 
fusion, are a thing of the past. Political cross currents creating 
false hopes in regard to German reparation payments in cash and 
kind, have no longer the power to destroy this Federation of Build- 
ing Co-operatives. 

Enough time has elapsed for the people themselves to have 
awakened to the advantages and disadvantages of certain adminis- 
trative forms and group effort. The system of loans which have 
already yielded Forty-five Billions of francs, taken up by the 
French for their own restoration, is now being extended, and the 
Federation of Co-operative Societies is being given more definite 
control of the administration of this money. The future of the 
Atelier, until Blerancourt and Blerancourdelle are reconstructed, is 
therefore assured. 

On the other hand, the definite form which the reconstruction 
problem is now taking, makes it essential that a recognized form 
of legal entity be given to the Atelier as soon as the Board of 
Directors can act upon the plan which has been prepared in France 
by our Financial Department and verified by our legal advisors. 

The Part the Atelier Will Play in the Future — In preparing its 
financial estimates for future loans, the Co-operative Society of Bleran- 
court and Blerancourdelle has estimated that by the end of 1924 
these two villages will be rebuilt and life will return to normal. The 
inhabitants have always been engaged chiefly in agriculture, or were 
people living on small incomes. Until just before the war, never- 
theless, there was an industrial interest consisting of a shoe manu- 
factory which played a large part in the prosperity of the village. 
The closing down of the factory because of the death of the owners, 
was keenly felt, in that it left no opening for the younger generation 
who wished to continue in the town and yet adopt an industrial 
career. This need is still felt and it is our hope that our building 

17 



enterprise will normally develop into an industry suitable to the 
needs of the country when its original purpose of reconstruction 
has been fulfilled. 

Owing to the system established by the Government in regard 
to the payment of only a certain proportion of each bill pre- 
sented, it is necessary for every contractor to have a sufficiently 
large capital in order to have enough cash in reserve to use as a 
rolling fund. Therefore, in planning for the future organization of 
the Atelier, the capitalization should be increased to Frs. : 2.000.000. 
It is proposed that the value of the Atelier, at the date the com- 
pany is formed, be converted into vendors shares to the amount of 
approximately Frs.: 1.000.000, the remainder" to be secured by selling 
shares of the new company. 



AGRICULTURAL SERVICE 

Peasant-farmer — The backbone of France is the peasant-farmer. 
The war was fought and won because thousands of these men, pro- 
prietors of from 10 to 25 acres, owned the soil of France. This 
possession of the soil was the source of their fighting and holding 
power, and later caused the French nation to take up the loans of 
Frs.: 45.000.000.000 spent for her reconstruction, already mentioned. 
Of these Frs.: 45.000.000.000, Frs.: 20.000.000.000 alone were spent 
in cleaning her fields of war debris and leveling the ground. In our 
area of 45 square miles we can number only about twenty large 
proprietors. It was necessary for the American Committee to get 
these proprietors to interest themselves with us in the small farmers. 
The example was already set by the Government. One can honestly 
say that in this matter of agriculture the French Government has 
riot favored the big farmer at the expense of the small farmer; the 
national unit, which is called France, depends upon the small pro- 
prietor. 

Canton of Coucy, Syndicates and Co-operatives — The Co-operative 
of Coucy would never have started if it had not been for the loan 
of Frs: 50.000 made by Mrs. Whitney- Warren. With this money 
in bank, the members of the syndicates then subscribed Frs.: 15.000. 
With this capital of Frs.: 65.000, the Co-operative made a wonder- 
ful success. For this past year they have sold merchandise to the 
amount of Frs: 672.278, and although this was at a rate cheaper 
than in the open market, a profit was obtained of Frs. 29.000, which 
the members of the Co-operative decided to add to the original cap- 
ital. The Co-operative is now a self-sustaining body, and the shares 

18 



covering the loan of Frs. : 50.000, have been formally presented to 
the Syndicate body to be held by them as a reserve for future 
extension of agricultural work in the region. 

Canton of Coucy Tractor Service — We have greatly reduced 
our tractor service in the Canton of Coucy, but this service cannot 
be entirely eliminated now. Why? Because the small farmer who 
finds the tractor essential until his land has been restored to a normal 
state finds that at the present price of gasoline he cannot afford to 
immobilize so much capital as is placed in a tractor with its very 
limited use on a small farm. 

On the other hand, the large farmer, with his greater need of 
man labor, now impossible to secure, has learned to appreciate the 
economic value of the tractor, and six tractors of the Committee 
have been purchased by them. This autumn, therefore, we shall 
still have thirteen tractors in use for the small farmers. After 
this winter's plowing, these will no longer be needed, and by April 
1, 1923, we expect to close this service down. This will permit us 
to transfer sufficient tractors to the Canton of Anizy to meet their 
needs. With the money that has been received for the tractors al- 
ready sold and those to be sold, we shall have enough cash in bank 
to run our tractor service in the Canton of Coucy and a balance for 
the purchase of spare parts to repair tractors we have for sale. 

Canton of Anizy Syndicates and Co-operatives — The Canton of 
Anizy, which was situated directly upon the Hindenburg Line, is 
naturally much further behind, because it is in this region that we 
have that unclaimed land which is known as the Red Zone. Al- 
though this land was declared irreclaimable by the Government, the 
farmers made such an effort that much of the land was brought 
back, and the Syndicates have repaid all but Frs. : 10.000 of the 
Frs.: 125.000 advanced them by the Committee last year. The 
Committee decided to subscribe this Frs. : 10.000 as soon as returned 
and an additional Frs.: 15.000, provided the Syndicate members 
would form themselves into a Co-operative body similar to that of 
Coucy. Within ten days the Co-operative members had already 
subscribed Frs.: 23.000. This makes a capital now of Frs.: 48.000, 
but Frs. : 65.000 are necessary to make a successful agricultural co- 
operative in this region. We asked for a budget of Frs.: 50.000 for 
the returning farmers in this region, and we propose to take Frs.: 
17.000 to increase the capital of the Anizy Co-operative. 

Canton of Anizy Tractor Service — The supreme effort of the 
farmers of this region has recently received further stimulus from 
the Government by a service of steam tractors which are now in 

19 



the heart of the Red Zone, thus killing once and for all the old 
story that this land is irreclaimable. This increase of land surface 
to be cultivated by our syndicates necessitates the transference of 
as many of our tractors to them as possible in the coming year. 
The prolongation of this tractor service is the crux of the cultivation 
of this Canton. For this service, we shall apply the balance — Frs. : 
23.000 of the budget we asked. 

Villeneuve-la-Huree — As announced in our last annual report, 
practically the entire surface of this farm is now completely culti- 
vated. The farm is now in the market, as it was decided to wait 
and harvest the crop ourselves this year rather than to sell it during 
the summer. Before January it will be sold. This farm stands 
upon our books with a market value of Frs. : 386.000. 

The Manager of the farm. Mons. Bille, who is our Agricultural 
Director, not only for the farm but for the organization of our 
Agricultural Service in the devastated region, having won the con- 
fidence of all the farmers, is now preparing to live in the Aisne. 
As- soon as the farm is sold, we shall assist him to establish himself, 
possibly loaning him a small amount of money at a low rate of 
interest, so that the Committee may 'be able to have the advantage 
of his continued presence in the Aisne. 

Canning — The Canning Unit this year consisted of one American 
agent and two French girls. Two Departments were selected for 
intensive work out of the sixty which appealed to the American 
Committee to carry on this mission of food conservation. The 
work was begun in July. Demonstrations were carried on in 
the same way as last year. Our unit was able to arrange in 
accord with the Directors of Agriculture of each Department to 
spend at least a week in each city. The results were incalculable. 
It permitted the inhabitants to come from miles around, and this 
intensive program was most successful. 20 public demonstrations 
were given and thirty club meetings. Over 300 people brought 
vegetables and fruit from their g'ardens, doing the actual canning 
under the direction of Miss Powell and her assistants. The average 
attendance of the general meetings was 4,000 for the two Depart- 
ments, Alpes-Maritimes and Gironde. In the former Department a 
most successful exposition was held at Nice. There were seven ex- 
hibitions held during the summer and over 2,200 filled jars were 
shown. The Directors of Agriculture vied with each other to award 
prizes for these exhibits. In all 5,000 jars were distributed by the 
Committee in these two departments in addition to the 5,000 dis- 
tributed throughout France as a result of the demonstrations given 

20 



last year. These appeals for jars and other equipment are a very 
distinct mark of the appreciation of the work accomplished by the 
Canning Mission. This summer our work culminated in a splendid 
exhibit at the Horticultural show in Paris, November 1st, at which 
over a thousand jars were exhibited, these jars coming from every 
part of France. There were exhibits of Departments, schools and 
of individuals. The whole was immediately awarded the Grand 
Medaille d'Or of the Horticultural Society. 

In judging these exhibits, Miss Powell and Mme. Devouge in- 
vited Mme. Babet-Charton, - Mile. Fonta, with Mile. Frangois to 
assist. These three women occupy very important positions in 
Domestic Science Education in France, and all three work under 
the direction of the Agricultural Department of the Government. 

In a conference held by the American Committee at which these 
representatives of the Agricultural Department were present, the 
importance of the canning mission in regard to Domestic Science 
as a whole was discussed. It was suggested and approved that a 
still further effort be made to correlate past effort in canning with 
the status of Domestic Science in France; this to be accomplished 
through the organization of County Agents as employed in the 
United States. After many conferences, the following program has 
been definitely accepted by the American Committee and Madame 
Babet-Charton, Head of the Women's Department of the State 
School of Agriculture at Grignon, with Mme. Babet-Charton as 
directrice. 

With the co-operation of the Office National Universites et 
Ecoles Franchises, two graduates of Grignon were sent over this 
autumn to America to study home demonstration work in two of 
our American Agricultural Colleges, there to secure first-hand in- 
formation on the methods of organization. During the absence of 
these two students in America, Mme. Babet-Charton and Mme. 
Devouge, who has already spent three months in the States study- 
ing methods of club work with the county agents, are to make a 
survey of the two Departments and make all arrangements neces- 
sary for these two students on their arrival. These students will 
be the first county home demonstration agents in France. Each 
one will be responsible for one of the two selected Departments and 
will carry out their work under the direction of Mme. Babet-Charton 
and Mme. Devouge in co-operation with the Directors of Agriculture 
of the Departments. The Directors of Agriculture of the Seine et 
Oise and of the Eure are already interested and have promised a 
definite subsidy to help the development of this work. 

21 



There is no doubt as to the eventual extension of this program 
in France, as the Agricultural Directors of other Departments have 
already shown interest in the matter and have not only promised finan- 
cial aid, but wish to send representatives of their Departments to 
work with the scholarship girls who return from America. The 
American Committee has promised a total subsidy of Frs. : 150,000 
which is to be spent during a period of three years. 

AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION IN THE AISNE 

By unparalleled effort the farmers of the Aisne have succeeded 
in restoring the greater part of their land to fertility, but the 
situation that faces them today is distressing, the reconstruction 
of their farms is very slow. 

Furthermore, the long delay in collecting their war indemnities, 
in procuring fertilizer and farm-hands, — a situation due to the pres- 
ent economic difficulties in France, — will certainly, if indefinitely 
prolonged, discourage them and arrest the development of agri- 
culture. 

To come back to normal, France needs a more intensive agri- 
cultural productivity and for this it is indispensable that we extend 
our educational work concerning better methods and more intensive 
production. 

The need of the moment must be our guide to ascertain what 
will best attain this end. In short, we cannot tell today what form 
our help had best take in the termination of this work. We would 
like, however, a credit of 150,000 Francs, the final distribution of 
which will be decided in April, 1923. 

Meanwhile the work that we have done among our farmers has 
been less efficient than we would wish because it has been im- 
possible for us to do any intensive work among the women and 
children. We have, therefore, decided to bring over to America 
a member of the Committee who has been in charge of our Agri- 
cultural work. 

She is to spend three months studying and working with the 
Home County Agents in this country, preparing herself to form 
clubs in the Aisne for the raising of bees, poultry and garden prod- 
ucts. She will return to France in March in time for the Spring 
planting and will direct the work in our own Cantons for at least 
one year. In 1924 there is every probability that the work that she 
starts will be taken over by Madame Babet-Charton. 

22 



The budget necessary for the carrying out of this plan for the 
first year period would be 100.000 francs. 

PUBLIC HEALTH AND NURSING 

Can the line of demarkation between material and moral re- 
construction be definitely made? The foregoing paragraphs on what 
we have termed "material reconstruction" treat of such vitally im- 
portant matters as building of homes, farms, schools, and of tilling 
and cultivating land in our rural districts. There is surely moral 
reconstruction hand in hand with progress in material reconstruction. 

We come now to the next subject of Public Health and Nursing. 
Volumes have been written upon the indivisable relationship exist- 
ing between physical reconstruction and moral tone. However, as 
we sub-divide our paper under these two divisions, we are going 
to speak now on the most important activity of this Committee — 
Public Health Service and Training for Nurses. 

Hospital Training School — The whole future of this Department 
as outlined rests upon the plans as projected towards obtaining a 
superior school for the training of French nurses, with the oppor- 
tunity for proper technical training in a superior hospital. In the 
last six months very definite progress has been made and the forma- 
tion of plans for both hospital and training school carefully studied 
by eminent members of the French medical profession. As will be 
shown in our special conference report on nursing, the co-operation 
of the American Committee and the Amyot School of Nursing and 
with Dr. Oberthur of the hospital at Auteuil, has resulted in plans 
whereby the afore-mentioned training school will be given adequate 
hospital practice, to be facilitated by the enlargement of Dr. Ober- 
thiir's hospital from 50 to 320 beds. This hospital will be a fait 
accompli and ready for occupancy in the spring of 1924. If the 
plans as presented by the Hospital and Training School in France 
are approved and authorized by our Public Health Committee in 
America, they will be acclaimed with enthusiasm by the entire medi- 
cal profession of France, and their execution will crown, in most 
gratifying- manner, the unswerving devotion of the heads of this 
Department and all who have collaborated in this effort. 

The laying of the foundation stone of our Training School for 
Nurses puts the ground under our feet in regard to the future of our 
Public Health work in the Department of the Aisne. It would be 
impossible to come feefore you to ask for a budget to continue this 
service if at the end of a year we w r ere compelled to withdraw be- 
cause there was no future in France for the Public Health nurse. 

23 



Co-operation of Municipal Authorities — The record of our Public 
Health Department in the Aisne, however, has proved absolutely 
the contrary. In the town of Soissons, the headquarters of this 
service, there exists the closest co-operation between the municipality, 
the medical syndicate and our nurses. The laying of the foundation 
stone of the new Milk Station of Soissons as a memorial gift of the 
Committee to this town and the organization of Baby Shows, which 
showed a magnificent attendance, are surely ample proof of the 
deep and earnest desire of the leaders of the town to retain this 
service and to make every effort to assume their responsibility to- 
ward making it a prominent part of the whole movement of the 
people of Soissons in the re-birth of their community life. 

Naturally we have made more progress in Soissons than we 
have been able to make in our villages where we cannot readily find 
organized leadership. The isolated doctor and mayor, unaccustomed 
to the complexity of material and moral reconstruction, have been 
longer in finding ways and means to perpetuate this service of the 
Committee which they are most anxious to retain. Nevertheless, 
propositions have been made in each of our Cantons, which are 
convincing in their sincerity and frank co-operation in asking the 
Committee to help in the organization of the final plans. 

Budget — Our present budget for the Public Health Service, 
including transportation, for the Department of the Aisne and the 
City of Reims, amounts to Frs. : 60.000 per month. Now that we 
are assured of our training school in Paris, it is vital this service 
should be maintained for three years at least in the city and Canton 
of Soissons. This will permit the Committee to continue its dem- 
onstration of Public Health Nursing not only for the French com- 
munities, but for the steadily increasing members of the French 
medical profession whose attention will become rivetted upon the ex- 
pectation of life and upon the working power and stamina of present 
and future generations of the French people. Moreover, it will serve 
as a channel for a post-graduate course of the Training School in 

Public Health work. 

We ask a three-year budget for these two purposes: First, as 
a demonstration field ; secondly, to give us ample opportunity to 
solve local problems of the communities desiring to retain this serv- 
ice. We have the right to hope this will be attained, as already the 
Municipality of Soissons has provided for the housing of our Nurs- 
ing Service and Dispensary. They hold out the hope to us that 
shortly the town expects to be able to pay the salaries of at least 
two of our nurses, and the medical syndicates have already initiated 

24 




Small patient of one of our Nurses. 




Comite Centre at Carlepont. Children gathered for distribution of winter clothing. 



the experiment in the establishment of a regular tariff for nurses' 
visits where special treatments are given. If successful here, surely 
this system can be tried elsewhere, and our Public Health work will 
become a permanent institution in all our region with promise of 
extension throughout France. 

Budget — The Public Health budget up to April, 1923, was cov- 
ered by the general budget presented in the outline. Now that we 
have every reason to believe that our plan for the permanent Train- 
ing School and hospital in Paris is to be realized, we should like in 
addition sufficient money to cover what we consider the most im- 
portant piece of our work being left in France by the American 
Committee. It is impossible to present an itemized budget for the 
Training School until such time as the Committee on Public Health 
in America has accepted the plans and made arrangements with 
representatives of the Amyot School and Dr. Oberthiir's hospital. 
For the purchase of the land, we need 500.000 francs. The estimate 
of the architect for the erection of the building is Frs. : 1.250.000. 
We feel we need therefore, a budget of at least Frs. : 5.000.000, to 
cover both the Training School and the Public Health work in the 
Aisne. This will give us sufficient lee-way to continue the Public 
Health Nursing as well as the Training School. Should the total ot 
this 'budget not be forthcoming it will be necessary for us to reduce 
our intensive nursing service in the Aisne to the City and Canton 
of Soissons. In the meanwhile, we are working with the municipal 
authorities of our out-lying villages for a permanent but greatly 
reduced service. 

Blerancourt Hospital — After three years of service the Hospital 
at Blerancourt was closed down on the 31st of October. 

It is impossible to estimate what this hospital, so generously 
organized, ecpiipped and directed for over a year by the American 
Women's Hospital, has meant to the people in the surrounding 
country in the past. Organized at a time when there was practically 
no hospital accommodation for civilians, it was indeed a God-send 
to all sorts and conditions of men. 

It was taken over by the American Committee in 1920. Like 
all branches of the work of the Committee, it changed with the 
times. At one period of its existence, it was almost entirely filled 
with accident cases resulting from shell explosions and falling walls. 
A little later on, it became a general hospital, increasing its beds 
to meet the needs of the population, and accommodating men, women 
and children. Then, as the civil hospitals in the community gradu- 
ally resumed their normal duties, our hospital at Blerancourt be- 
came a maternity hospital and an educational institution. 

26 



As one of the French doctors said when notified that the hospital 
was closing, "In reality, the Hospital of Blerancourt will never close, 
because there are hundreds of mothers who have learned there the 
proper care of their babies, and who will pass on this knowledge 
to their children and their children's children, and so the results of 
the work ot the Hospital at Blerancourt will continue from one gen- 
eration to another!" 

We are glad to know that we are going out, so to speak, with 
colors flying, and to know also that in closing the Blerancourt Hos- 
pital, we have been able to use the material in such a way as to 
carry on, in a certain sense, some of our work. We are equipping 
the operating room of a little hospital at Montreuil-sous-Laon, 
where there were no funds to buy the necessary apparatus ; and we 
are also furnishing the surgical ward of another institution at Pre- 
montre where almost everything was lost during the war, and where 
the sick suffered much inconvenience due to lack of funds wherewith 
to buy even the necessities of a sick-room. At Compiegne we have 
equipped one of the many wards in their hospital, and here the 
surgeon has given all his time free for Committee cases. Mile. Rives, 
who had been the head of our maternity work at Blerancourt, is now 
starting a small clinic at Lille with Mile. Durleman who studied 
with her in America. 

It may be interesting to note that since the American Committee 
took over the hospital in 1919, there were admitted 272 men, 511 women, 
and 748 children; and that 319 babies were born there, — bearing in 
mind the fact that, not only were the mothers well taken care of during 
their confinement, but that they were also carefully taught all that it 
was possible to teach them while at the hospital. 

The decision to close the hospital was reached owing to the fact 
that there is now sufficient hospital accommodation in the Department 
of the Aisne, and because there is no possibility of the hospital being 
continued as a permanent institution Iry the French authorities. 

May we give the following extract of the minutes of the meeting 
of the Departmental Commission of the Prefecture of the Aisne, Octob- 
er 30, 1922 : 

"After having heard the report of M. Bonnefoy-Sibour, Pre- 
fect of the Aisne, regarding the generosity of the American Com- 
mittee, the Departmental Commission requests the Administration 
to convey to the said Committee the warmest thanks of the General 
Council and the war stricken population. 

27 



"The equipment of the Hospital at Blerancourt, the excellence 
of which is appreciated by the members of the Administration, will 
be used to the best of advantage and distributed, subject to the ap- 
proval of the Prefect, between the Asile Departementale d'Alienes 
de Premontre and l'Hospice Departementale de Montreuil-sous-Laon. 

"The deepest gratitude of the Department is due to the Amer- 
ican Committee for its generous gifts." 

Laon, October 30, 1922 
Prefecture of the Aisne. The Prefect. 

(Signed) S. Bonnefoy-Sibour. 



As an expression of the appreciation and gratitude for this gift, 
the Municipality of Blerancourt is to put up a tablet commemorating 
the work of the American Women's Hospital, in the town hall when it is 
erected. A further expression of the appreciation of the Department 
is to be made by the placing of tablets in the Asile Departementale 
d'Alienes de Premontre and l'Hospice Departmental de Montreuil-sur- 
Laon. 

LIBRARY SERVICE 

Cooperation with French Library Profession — The last six 
months have brought to fruition the endeavor of two years. From the 
inception of the library work in 1920, we began to investigate the pos- 
sibilities of turning over the village libraries to the communes. How 
much responsibility they could or would accept was unknown at that 
time, and we had not yet made any connection with the French library 
profession, through which the library work has, since, taken on a 
larger and a permanent aspect. 

Such a connection has now been made with the library profession, 
and also with the French Department of Education through the National 
Office of French Universities and Schools. In June, the Comite Francais 
de la Bibliotheque Moderne, with .Andre Chevrillon as Chairman, was 
organized, to establish and develop public libraries in France in co- 
operation with a similar Committee in America, which is looking after 
the training of our French librarians. The progress of our work in 
our own region has been most satisfactory. 

The following statistics are significant in that they express actual 
accomplishment and show continuous growth of a small department with 
possibilities of future extension. 

Ten months after the library work of the American Com- 
mittee was organized, March 31, 1921, five centre libraries and 45 
traveling libraries were in full swing. 6,671 people had sat down to 

28 



read in the five centre libraries; there were 891 inscribed readers who 
had carried home 10,866 books to read. 11,397 books had been circu- 
lated through the traveling libraries. Here we cannot give the numbers 
of people who were served. 

Twenty-two months after the beginning of this work, the circulation 
of the five centre libraries had advanced to 73,796 for the year; there 
had been 31,980 readers in the five library rooms, 3,878 adults and 
children were regular members, and five new traveling libraries had 
been added, making fifty in all which had circulated 29,951 books— a 
total circulation for the year of 103,747 books or 38% increase over 
the first year of ten months. 

The last six months, April to September. 1922, the total circulation 
has been 47,437 and the inscribed members number 4,441, representing 
a quarter of the entire population served by our five center libraries. 

French Committee — In June the first meeting of the French 
Committee in Paris was held, at which it was practically decided that 
library conditions should be modernized, and that every effort should be 
made to start such changes in Paris, with the co-operation of the Ameri- 
can Committee. The question of training was discussed, and the Com- 
mittee approved of the sending of four French women to America for 
library training. 

About this time word came from the American Committee on 
library training that $7,000 had been appropriated by the Institute of 
International Education for the training of six French women in Amer- 
ican Library Schools. 

The French Committee, however, felt unwilling to accept the 
responsibility of more than four students, who were subsequently select- 
ed from the recommendations of the National Office of French Univers- 
ities and Schools, and were given a month's preliminary experience in 
the Library at Soissons. At the last moment one student was compelled 
to withdraw ; consequently only three sailed for America on September 
2nd, two going to the New York Public Library School and one to the 
Library School of the Western Reserve University. 

The French student who had been sent to the New York Public 
Library School last year by the American Committee returned in July 
and was immediately put in charge of the preparation of the Demonstra- 
tion Library in Paris. This work she has carried through splendidly, 
and the library was opened to the public on the second of November. 

Paris Library — This library for. the district of Belleville has 
been housed in the schoolhouse at 4, rue Fessart. The City of Paris 
and the American Committee have co-operated in its reorganization and 

29 



reinstallation, and the gift of a baraque from the Ministry of Liberated 
Regions made it possible to install the library in a new building of its 
own. The Library Bureau, recognizing the importance of this first 
effort to modernize one of the municipal libraries, has made all of the 
furniture after established library standards and for a nominal price. 

The Special Conference Report of Miss Carson, Directrice of our 
Library Service, is of extraordinary interest. Too much credit cannot 
be given to Miss Carson for the extremely able and intelligent manner 
in which she has conducted the development of this library movement, 
from the time of its initial conception of giving the inhabitants of our 
devastated area an opportunity to forget their miserable surround- 
ings in the joy of renewed contact with their own magnificent 
literature, of which for four years of war they had been deprived. 

From such small beginnings Miss Carson demonstrated fully and 
with much success the value of modern methods and the need for pro- 
fessional services to invigorate the old and practically obsolete form of 
library service in this country. The inauguration of the Free Public 
Library, housed in a baraque in the heart of Paris, was most dramatic, 
and has completely won the most prominent men in library and educa- 
tional circles of Paris itself. 

The statistics already given showing the circulation of 103,747 books 
in the Aisne from our library shelves, containing 14,000 volumes only, 
convince us that at the termination of one year the Paris Library also, 
under the combined effort of the Paris authorities and the American 
Committee will yield even better results. 

Communal Support — Communal support is no longer a myth. 
The village of Blerancourt has voted 1,200 francs a year for its librar- 
ian's salary, to begin January 1st. 1923, and five of the surrounding 
villages using the Blerancourt library have voted 450 francs a year for 
the privilege of having a traveling library. This is not a very large 
sum, but to anyone who understands the conditions in the devastated 
area, it is not only a generous offer, but amply demonstrates the 
interest of these communities in the Library Service. 

As noted in the last yearly report, the town of Soissons and the 
village of Anizy-le-Chateau have both agreed through their mayors and 
Municipal Councils to carry on their libraries on the present plan. The 
final arrangement for the future of these two libraries will be consum- 
mated before April, 1923. The Anizy library is to be moved to the 
Grande Place and housed in the new town hall of Anizy. At Soissons 
plans are already under way to construct new library quarters in the 

30 



cloisters of St. Leger. Ratification of these plans will be brought up 
for discussion by the mayors of both Anizy and Soissons at the meetings 
of the Municipal Council in November. 

The Mayor of Anizy has also written to the mayors of all the 
villages that enjoy traveling libraries in the Canton oi Anizy, asking 
financial support for them. They will be served from the central 
library at Anizy, which is the charge of the Municipality. The In- 
spector of Primary Education for the Canton of Soissons and Vic-sur- 
Aisne is working toward the same end in the villages of these two 
centers. 

The support secured in this way will not be great — nor will it be 
sufficient— but it will be a guarantee for the future. 

Budget — The library work in France is at an extremely critical 
stage. The successes in the past have been most gratifying. The atten- 
tion of the French public has been brought in Paris and also in the 
villages, to our modern library methods. It would be unfair to expect a 
committee which has no practical experience in the modernized library 
methods employed hitherto by the Committee to be left to carry and ad- 
minister this important piece of work at this moment without trained 
help. 

The future of the library now hinges on our continuing this service 
until November 1, 1923, under the direction of Miss Carson who, from 
the beginning hasbeen the Directrice of this branch of the service. To 
carry this out we ask a further budget of Frs: 400.000. This will 
allow us during this period to arrange with the various municipal author- 
ities to transfer our present libraries into permanent quarters and hand 
over to the municipalities for the administration of these libraries a 
certain sum to help them during the difficult period in which they are 
taking charge. Secondly, this estimated budget allows a sufficient 
amount to increase the book supply of the Paris libraries for a 
reading public of 150,000; and will give the impetus necessary by 
furnishing three competent librarians to establish it before 1923. 



SCOUTING 

During the past six months the American Committee has pursued 
its work in the equipment department, camp-schools, cooperation with 
authorities and French associations, and has extended into a new branch : 
Camp for young girls. 

Equipment Department — The stock of equipment at the last in- 
ventory (March 1922) had risen to Frs: 23.000. The cash receipts 
amounted to Frs : 70.000 as against Frs : 30.000 for the corresponding 

31 



six months of last year. At the same time, about Frs. : 50.000 of 
equipment was supplied to the camps this summer. The gross profit 
as shown by the inventory of March 1922 amounted to Frs.: 15.500. 

Camp Schools — Two camps were organized this year in the 
same manner as. last year and in the same locations of Corey (Aisne) 
and la Croix St. Ouen (Oise). 

Corey — This camp was again granted a subsidy of Frs. : 100.000 
by the Ministry of Hygiene, and it received the full co-operation of the 
Aisne authorities, particularly for the recruiting of the boys and the 
supply of small material. There were three periods of two weeks each 
for boys, 330 of whom, exclusive of leaders, attended the Camp. A 
persistent effort was made to reduce the expenditure of this camp, chiefly 
on food supplies. A very substantial saving was effected. 

La Croix St-Ouen — In this camp the American Committee car- 
ried on its policy of gradually initiating the French Scout world to the 
management of training camps. It was decided to turn over the camp 
material and budget to the three French Associations leaving them at 
liberty to recruit, manage and direct the camp budget of Frs. : 80.000 
with special conditions incentive to economy. 

Government Co-operation — The confidence which the American 
Committee placed in the French Scout Organizations proved justified. 
The working of the special financial conditions will result in a substantial 
saving. In Boy-scout work the authorities and the Committee have been 
close workers. In fact the Corey camp was a Government institution in 
the same degree as it was an American Committee activity. 

Similarly, the co-operation with the French Associations has become 
closer and in many instances, the American Committee has been the 
connecting link between the three different groups and has promoted 
their already strong spirit of uniting for work. Beyond the camps and 
the wholesale supply of equipment which are the main features of this 
co-operative work, there has been a constant exchange of service on such 
lines as loan of material for camps, loan of films, press clippings service, 
personnel, etc. 

The American Committee was instrumental in sending Mr. Guerin- 
Desjardins as common delegate of the Three French Scout Associations 
to the National bi-annual Convention of the Boy-Scouts of America at 
Blue Ridge. 

Camp for Girls — The American Committee helped the Aisne 

department authorities in carrying out a camp for young girls. This 

experiment proved an unqualified success in spite of an exceedingly wet 
season which made life out-of-doors very hard. 

32 



The attendance of the camp was limited to 85 in order to insure 
good supervision by the leaders. The girls came from all towns in the 
Aisne and generally showed better physique than the boys. Their spirit 
was excellent and in spite of wet clothes and shoes they remained re- 
markably cheerful and left the Camp with the earnest desire of "coming 
back next year." 

Budget — With the profit that has been made on the equipment 
co-operative, and the balance still due us by the Government on the 
subsidy of 100.000 francs not yet fully reimbursed, the scout work 
for the remainder of the year will cost only an additional Frs. : 
30.000 up to April 1, 1923. This covers administration, general ex- 
penses and equipment department. 

Future of Scouting — There is every probability now that in the 
near future we shall see the federation of the three French scout 
organizations on a permanent footing. From every source we have 
reason to believe that the creation and organization of a permanent 
camp would eliminate all doubt in the minds of members of all scout 
organizations as to the benefit accruing from such affiliation. 

We, therefore, made an offer to the three Societies that, if they 
would form themselves into a camp commission with equal repre- 
sentation, we would find a territory satisfactory for this purpose in 
the immediate neighborhood of Paris. This they did, and the site 
has been chosen by Mr, Lome Barclay, Representative of the Amer- 
ican Boy Scout Organization ; it is situated near Chateau-Thierry, 
on the hill-side, just where the Americans crossed the Marne. Two 
of the hospital barracks are to be transported and put up on this 
ground, one to serve as a store-house for all tents and camping 
supplies previously used, and the second one as a permanent niess. 

There is a splendid spring on the property, which gives ample 
water supply for all the needs of the camp, and will also permit 
us to put up a fountain and memorial tablet bearing the names of all 
American boy scout leaders who have assisted in the scout movement 
in France. 

This camp site will be equipped and ready to be turned over to 
the Societies by June, 1923. The American Boy Scouts, having 
given permission to reprint part of their manuals, the American 
Committee wishes to help the Societies with the original capital 
necessary for publication. For these purposes we shall require an 
extra budget of Frs. : 200.000 until November, 1923, when the Ameri- 
can Committee withdraws from all scout service, having turned over 

33 



our plant, equipment and publications as a final gift to the three 
scout organizations formed into one commission. 



£>' 



GENERAL SOCIAL SERVICE WORK 

In our outline we included in this subject all activities with the 
exception of Public Health, Libraries, Construction and Agricultural 
Syndicates. In this present report we have deviated from this, hav- 
ing already presented to you Construction, General Agriculture, (in- 
cluding Canning and Extension work), Public Health, Libraries and 
Scouting. 

Furthermore, having closed down the Blerancourt Hospital in 
October, this activity is eliminated from the exposition we now wish 
to present to you of our General Social Service. 

What is the situation in the field? As stated in our outline, 
our policy in social service work was toward elimination and not 
extension. Elimination, because we consider our social service work 
as an emergency program, except in those towns and villages 
where we are able to secure the local leadership necessary to develop 
and continue the service — where we feel there is promise of final 
administration by the French themselves for their own community. 

Our five field centres are well known to many of you ; therefore 
I have no need to explain that in those villages where we have 
either an emergency social service program, or where we have con- 
structed a temporary foyer for social service, we have no resident 
worker living in the foyer. The foyer worker resides in one of the 
five field centers, and is therefore dependent upon the transportation of 
that centre to carry her on her daily rounds. 

First, house to house visits were ma-de in each village. Second 
came group activities, chiefly for the children, in such form as 
physical education, domestic science, manual training classes and 
sports. When these various activities were given over into the 
hands of the Board of Education of the Department, we entered 
upon a third phase — the organization of French local committees 
to support and administer the foyers. 

Formerly our foyers had served as the scene of operation for 
the many and varied forms of social service described above and 
conducted under the supervision of the social service worker or 
professional aid of the Committee. When such supervision was 
no longer necessary, we were able to greatly reduce the number 
of personnel in each of our five centres. A year ago these 
centres were composed of a personnel varying from 18 to 22 

34 




Soissons Playground under the direction of The American Committee. 



members, under a directrice. For the month of October, 1921, the 
budget for field social service work amounted to Frs. : 93.000. In 
the last six months we have reduced the field personnel to an aver- 
age of ten in each centre, and the monthly budget for October, 1922, 
amounted to Frs. 58.000. It should be remembered in this connection 
that the salaries of many of our continuing workers have been in- 
creased from time to time. 

Roughly speaking, Blerancourt, Anizy and Vic-sur-Aisne are 
composed of one directrice, two Public Health Nurses, one Librarian, 
a Secretary-Accountant, one resident Social Worker and Chauf- 
feuses. 

At Soissons the picture is different; we have decentralized our 
services, putting Public Health and chauffeuses in one centre and 
librarians in another. Both of these services are housed by the 
Municipality of Soissons. In addition to these services we have 
near Soissons two foyers, one in the suburb of Tour-de-Ville and the 
other in the village of Crouy. In each of these we have a resident 
social service worker. 

Before passing on to a description of our foyers, and an ex- 
planation of the service and the initial need which created them, 
I want to say a word in passing about the Soissons Playground. 

Mademoiselle Dumont, in charge of the Soissons Playground, 
came to us as a gift from the Inkowa Club in America, to aid us in 
the organization of playgrounds. When the Municipality of Soissons 
had completed all its arrangements for the Public Park and Play- 
grounds at St. Crepin and St. Leger, they asked the American Com- 
mittee if we would be willing to allow Mademoiselle Dumont to 
continue her instruction until such time as the pupil-assistants had 
received sufficient training from her to direct the playground. This 
service, however, will cease on the 1st of April, 1923, when the 
Municipality takes entire charge. 

I will now present to you one by one the situation in our Foyers, 
each one of which has presented a different and interesting problem. 

The following foyers show every promise of being finally main- 
tained and administered by the French : 

Tour-de-Ville Canton of Soissons 
Crouy do 

Urcel Canton of Anizy 
Chavignon do 

Anizy do 

Pinon do 

36 




>> 

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Vic-sur-Aisne Canton of Vic-sur-Aisne 
Ambleny do 

Blerancourt Canton of Coucy 
Trosly-Loire do 

Quierzy do 

Coucy-le-Chateau do 

Leuilly do 

Canton of Soissons. Tour-de-Ville — Tour-de-Ville is a small 
city of barracks situated on the outskirts of Soissons, constructed 
by the Ministry of Liberated Regions, to house the city's 1200 work- 
ing population, who although not property owners were Sois- 
sonais and had suffered war damage. Mademoiselle Marcy, the 
directrice, has organized a foyer under the statutes of the Family 
Association Club, and at the end of the year we are able to report 
a very gratifying amount of membership fees, also a proposition 
by the town of Soissons that this foyer will be heated and lighted 
at the expense of the Municipality during the winter 1922-1923, to 
be followed in the summer by a definite contribution in cooperation 
with the Family Association Club, for its full maintenance. 

Crouy — Here our Committee owns the property on which is 
constructed the wooden barrack serving as a foyer. A local com- 
mittee has been formed. Tremendous interest has been mani- 
fested in this foyer, and a small gift of at most Frs. : 25.000 would 
enable us to construct a permanent building on this property. In 
addition to the local committee there is an active group of young 
people — boys and girls — under the interested leadership of school 
teachers. This club is incorporated. It has funds. It is most 
anxious to continue the work of the American Committee at Crouy 
and promises to carry on at its own expense the girls' club meetings 
and sewing classes, the library, physical culture and Ecole Menagere. 
It also agrees to house all activities and give its support to the 
continuation of the Milk Station of the Medical Service, which 
will be housed in the same barrack. I quote the final words of an 
enthusiastic letter from the school-teacher of Crouy, who is at the 
head of the Girls' Club : 

"So we hope to see, I and the young girls of Crouy, 
the erection of a permanent building, and it is in their name 
and mine that we lay our plea before our benefactors of the 
American Committee." 

Canton of Anizy. Urcel- — An excellent Committee has been 
formed here under the direction of Miss Lewis. The Municipality 
offered to the Committee a piece of land for the construction of a 

38 



permanent foyer. Plans were made and submitted to Mrs. Albert 
Heidelbach who has generously donated this building. The inaugu- 
ration is fixed for the month of December. In six months there 
is every promise that the community will have an entirely self- 
supporting social service centre with a resident Frenchwoman in 
charge. 

At Chavignon and Pinon, depending upon the main centre of Anizy- 
le-Chateau, there is full promise of a local committee to administer and 
maintain the foyers. Our main centre at Anizy is still housed in bar- 
racks on the property of the Comte d'Aramon. In October, 1924, this 
centre will be closed down. The Public Health and the Library Services 
will be housed in a wing of the municipal town hall. This will leave us 
Public Health Service and our Extension Agricultural work under the 
direction of Miss Williams, with possibly one resident social worker to 
continue their services through the winter of 1923. 

Therefore, in cooperation with the Mayor of Anizy, we are con- 
sidering the purchase of a small property entitled to war indemnities, 
for which we shall use the Lawrence Memorial Fund — approximately 
$3,000. A deed of gift can be made at once to the Muncipality with 
the condition that this fund be applied to the purchase of such 
property, and the Lawrence Memorial constructed by the Munici- 
pality under the direction of the American Committee. This will 
permit the American Committee to give shelter to these three 
services — until the termination of such activities in this canton. 

At that time the Municipality of Anizy will take over the full 
ownership of the Lawrence Memorial on condition that the building 
serve for public health nurse, dispensary and any other service which 
the American Committee wishes to perpetuate. 

Canton of Vic-Sur-Aisne. Vic-sur-Aisne — The property of the 
American Committee at Vic-sur-Aisne, serving as the main centre 
for the canton, is now being turned over to the Municipality of 
Vic-sur-Aisne by a deed of gift and endowment, which will permit 
the Committee and the Municipality to carry on Public Health, 
Library, Garderie and social service work for three years. At the 
end of that time the Municipality acquires full ownership of this 
property, provided Public Health, Library and Garderie are maintained 
by the Community in their interests and those of the surrounding 
villages. From this main centre we shall operate the special services 

39 




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of Public Health and Library at Ambleny and St. Pierre Aigle until 
such time as local committees have so far developed that they are 
able to maintain and sustain these services which they wish to retain. 

Canton of Coucy-le-Chateau. Blerancourt— The Committee's 
property at Blerancourt still remains the headquarters of the field 
work for the devastated regions. At Blerancourt the work has been 
sub-divided into the four following main divisions : 

1 — Blerancourt Hospital which was closed in October. 

2 — The Automobile Barrack in which we have an ex- 
tensive plant for the repair of our automobiles. 

3 — The tractor park from which are operated the trac- 
tors furnished to all the syndicates of Coucy-le-Chateau and 
Anizy-le-Chateau. 



-The General Service Centre, with directrice and per- 
sonnel for public health, library and social service work. 

The life of the Automobile Park can be determined only in the 
autumn of 1923, when with the elimination of all other services 
transportation will be limited to public health service only. This 
park serves not only to keep cars in repair, but eventually it must 
repair those cars which are to be liquidated. The same applies to 
the tractor service park. 

In the general social service centre the personnel has been 
greatly reduced, and is composed of the directrice, two public health 
nurses, two resident social service workers, one librarian, secretary- 
accountant and chauffeuses. 

There remain the resident social service workers who are en- 
gaged in the chief foyers operated from Blerancourt, viz., Trosly- 
Loire and Quierzy. 

At Trosly-Loire we have a splendid foyer in a village still com- 
pletely in ruins and numbering nearly 400 inhabitants. It is today 
the live centre of all community life in Trosly-Loire, and the munici- 
pality has voted 300 francs for this year's contribution toward the 
maintenance of the foyer. We are confident in the future of the 
Trosly-Loire foyer, and we believe that within a year it will be 
maintained at the expense of the municipality. 

At Quierzy arrangements are also going on with the municipality 
to take over and maintain its foyer. 

41 




Temporary church at Landricourt. Memorial bell to Alan C. Seegar. 



Pavilions at Blerancourt — We are making a survey of the situa- 
tion at Blerancourt regarding the ultimate destiny of the two pavil- 
ions on the property of the Chateau. These are now being recon- 
structed by the generous gift of Miss Moulton. This property was 
originally donated to the Committee, and the gift of 110.000 francs 
by Miss Moulton has enabled us to commence the repairs of these 
very beautiful pavilions. 

We now suggest the purchase of another property in Blerancourt 
which by deed of gift to the municipality will permit them to re- 
construct a dispensary on lines approved by this Committee. This 
will cost about Frs. 50.000 with war indemnities. 

Coucy-le-Chateau — At Coucy-le-Chateau a study is being made with 
the municipality to construct a building with the funds so generously 
donated to Coucy-le-Chateau by Mrs. Whitney Warren, and which, 
at the request of the Municipality of Coucy, will permanently house 
and maintain public health service, libraries, domestic science, manual 
work, and a large room to serve for social service purposes, including 
a resident social service worker. 

Definite Gifts. 1 — The Tennis Centre at Reims, where eight 
open tennis courts with club-house and swimming pool, and one 
indoor tennis court have been constructed for the working classes 
of the population of 80,000 returned and living in this great mar- 
tyred city. 

The inauguration of this important gift is announced for Jan- 
uary. Beautifully situated in most cheerful surroundings, with a 
splendid committee of young men and women of Reims, it has de- 
veloped with extraordinary rapidity and is today almost completed. 

2 — The Milk Station and Dispensary in the town of Soissons. 

3 — The additional wing in which to provide for the Children's 
Corner of the Municipal Library of this town. 

A — The equipment of an operating room in the Hospital of 
Montreuil-sur-Laon. 

5 — Ward, fully equipped, in the beautiful Asylum for the Insane 
in the Department of the Aisne at Premontre. 

6 — Equipment of a Ward in Mile. Matter's new Hospital at 
Lille. 

Gifts Still Pending. 1 — Social Service Centre including Public 
Health Service, Library and Garderie at Vic-sur-Aisne. 

43 




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2- — Lawrence Memorial building at Anizy. 

3 — Gift to Coucy-le-Chateau of a certain sum which will permit 
the Mayor and Municipality of Coucy-le-Chateau to consolidate and 
fructify the effort of the American Committee — the generous donation 
of Mrs. Whitney Warren. 

In our Annual Report for the Year 1922-1923, we shall present 
you with statistics of our field social service work. We are passing 
through a critical period when the confidence of leaders who understand 
the general situation of France better than the very young for whom this 
service has been particularly thoughtful — the leaders whose confidence 
today is tried to the utmost are naturally inclined to weaken before the 
huge economic problem which confronts them from both angles — per- 
sonal and national. 

At the end of the year I feel sure that our statistics will testify 
to the measure of our achievement and the length of the route 
already traversed by the French of our region and the Committee. 
The question of how long' we can continue our field social service 
work should find its answer in you and not in the French. The 
effort made by the sinistre in the devastated region is the biggest 
piece of social service work the world has ever seen. Because every 
mind in that region today is not selfishly seeking its own material 
gain, but, for the second time in the history of France in the last 
fifty years, the French sinistre on the battlefield is showing the 
example of the man who knows that he himself must be strong and 
that he can be of no value unless he helps his neighbour to become 
strong too. 

Consider for a moment the foyer in Trosly — a little wind-swept 
mass of broken stones sheltering over four hundred or so of broken 
lives, a place of direst poverty and human helplessness for every 
single necessity. In little Trosly word went round that the Ameri- 
cans were going. The news caused consternation. What would hap- 
pen to the village foyer, the one place where life could expand, where 
the future could be glimpsed, and where already that future resided? 
And when we explained to them our point of view they said — "Well, 
cannot we help ourselves?", which they did in the resolution passed 
by the mayor and the Municipal Council voting a subsidy of Frs. 
300 toward the support of the foyer. 

We have spent the last six months preparing to withdraw, pre- 
paring to leave our work — the work of seven years — in the hands 
of those who, we are convinced, will make every effort to have it 
bear fruit. 

45 



GENERAL ADMINISTRATION 

The administation of these different services depends upon the 
maintenance of an office in Paris, and to a lesser degree upon our 
nearby entrepot or warehouse. This office is the connecting link 
between our work in the Aisne and our support in America. It is 
here that we receive and distribute the money that comes to us from 
America and that carries on the work. It is from here that we 
account to America for its expenditure. 

It is here that we receive reports, statistics, photographs and 
films from our field of work, and it is from here that w% send them 
to you, helping you to foster in America an understanding of our 
endeavour and to raise the funds for its support. 

The heads of certain departments must still have desks in Paris. 
These desks are for the use of the department of Accounts, the 
Publicity Department, Scouting and Personnel. And then there are 
the desks over which pass the constant flow of correspondence that 
keeps us in touch with our work and with you. 

The number of personnel in the Paris office is constantly chang- 
ing according to times and seasons. Our office space was taxed to 
capacity during the visit of the delegates last summer, when an extra 
staff was required. For this winter season we have shrunk to smaller 
proportions, and are carrying on the work with a minimum of secre- 
tarial and general assistance. In this way the expenses of our Paris 
office are materially lessened. Certain combinations of departments 
have been made; the department of Special Cases being now ab- 
sorbed in the General Accounting department, and a reduction of 
the secretarial staff having further reduced our expenses. But when 
the spring delegate season returns to us we will expand again, and 
therefore we need to carry until next Fall our present office quarters. 

On both sides of the Atlantic, in order to secure the budget we 
have asked for, for financial administration and endowment of those 
services which we wish to leave in France in permanent form, we 
are obliged to expend money in a thousand unexpected ways, and 
to take advantage of current events or opinions which will help us 
toward achieving this end. Who could have foreseen in January 
the outlay necessary in France to make of the Good Will Delegation 
the tremendous success it proved to be? The French press declared 
this to be the greatest testimony of American interest in France 
since the arrival on French shores of the American Expeditionary 
Force. Coincident with the sailing of the Delegation, we were 
obliged to send out a detailed statement giving the history of the 

46 



enterprise, the system employed for the election of the delegates, 
and the object and programme of their tour, together with a brief 
resume of the aims and accomplishments of the American Com- 
mittee. This was sent to the editor of each of the three hundred 
Metropolitan and provincial newspapers in France, in almost all of 
which the statement was published in full. Thus by the time the 
delegation reached France, the tour and the circumstances attending 
it, were familiar to the inhabitants of even the most remote districts. 
The result was a spontaneous understanding and welcome on the 
part of the populace which left nothing to be desired. 

When our delegates first saw the devastation and repeated the 
old familiar cry: "No volume or story can ever give the American 
mind any conception of this disaster," their response to the effort 
of the American Committee and their understanding of the French 
was in itself a compensation for all the trouble and care attending 
the organization of this Good Will Delegation. 

Near the Paris office and in close co-operation with it and with 
the field is the Entrepot. It serves for purchase, shipment and stor- 
age of all supplies for the work in the Aisne. These shipments 
comprise books, medicines and other material for the Public Health 
Department, Scout Equipment, and all those bales of warm clothing 
that are still tremendously needed and appreciated among the vil- 
lagers. Nevertheless the work of the entrepot has diminished with 
the lessening need for material assistance in the Aisne. In 1919 it 
was literally an immense emporium buying and distributing tons 
of foodstuffs and household necessities. Now the entrepot staff con- 
sists of a volunteer directrice and two helpers, quite able to take 
care of the present needs, mainly Hygiene and Libraries. 

The past history of the entrepot is in a sense the history of the 
development and change of the American Committee, and is not 
without its romantic side. In 1920, during the period of first aid 
and material relief for the peasants, the entrepot was sending out 
railroad car after railroad car filled with garden tools, sewing ma- 
chines — and thousands of "buffets" and cupboards, tall and narrow, 
short and wide, -but all made to fit the entrance to a quarry or dug- 
out which in those days served as dwellings for the returned refu- 
gees. And if you should ask Miss Rackemann, who has so ably 
and devotedly directed our entrepot since the spring of 1919, whether 
the French peasant is clean, she will tell you that from those first 
days after the Armistice, until the shopkeepers were re-established 

47 



in the Aisne, her largest shipments were of "lessiveuses" or wash- 
boilers, and she would tell you that the demand for these came before 
the demand for such primal necessities as food and clothing. 

With the growth of reconstruction and the development of Com- 
mittee Foyers, in and out of the entrepot passed games, phonographs, 
discs, pianos, everything to make a stricken population happier and 
to make the foyer more attractive than the neighbouring cafe. Beau- 
tiful things too have come and gone, veils, sashes, suits and shoes, 
banners and candles for religious processions and church bells to the 
number of thirty-five. In every competition, exhibition and fete 
the entrepot has done its part in providing flags, banners, decora- 
tions, prizes and even ice-cream and lemonade. 

The following figures show the total output of material from 
the entrepot since its organization in the beginning of 1919: 

Clothes: Trousers, chemises, skirts, stockings, 

socks, drawers, dresses, cloaks, 
sweaters, caps, working clothes.. 168.989 

Materials : Yards 82.072 

Linen: Towels, napkins, kitchen towels.... 9.706 

Pillow-cases : 2.442 

Sheets : '. 7.230 

Shoes: 8.756 

Books : 15.953 

Tools: Shovels, spades, pickaxes, books, hoes, 

wheel-barrows, files, pincers, ham- 
mers, etc 6.610 

Furniture: Cupboards, tables. armchairs, file- 
cases, school-benches, rag-rugs, 
chairs, stools, beds, mattresses, 
sewing machines 20.754 

Pharmacy: Cotton, lysol, pommades, flowers, 

dioxygen, iodine, alcohol, syrups, 
various oils, etc., qts 3.287 

Lbs 4.627 

Household Articles: Kitchen utensils, plates, glasses, 

lamps, wash-boilers, coffee mills, 

etc 88.181 

Cigarettes: 113.860 

Foodstuffs: Cocoa, sugar, corned beef, chocolate, 

soap, jams, lard, bacon, milk, ma- 
caroni, oil, canned goods, etc., lbs. 181.806 
Cases 3.368 



48 



During the past six months, from April 1st, 1922, to October 
1st, goods totalling in value Frs.: 701.506 — have passed through the 
entrepot to our centres in the Aisne, and the cost of maintenance 
of the entrepot on its present scale — barracks being donated by the 
French Government — is Frs.: 1.600 per month. 

The entrepot has been a good soldier in our fight to bring 
health and normalcy back to the devastated regions of France, and 
the day when it is demobilized from the American Committee Army 
will be one of mingled pride in its achievement and regret for its 
passing. 

To conclude with a few interesting figures concerning our over- 
head expenses, we may consider as typical the month of September, 
1922, and may base upon the financial report for that month a cal- 
culation of the general administration of the American Committee 
in France. 

During that month the maintenance of the Paris office alone 
was : 

4.95% of the total expenditure and 

48.00% of the total administration expenditure. 

In the very nature of our work, which is now practically all in 
the hands of salaried specialists, our entire administration (includ- 
ing the Paris office, the five field centres and their dependent foyers) 
is high, but we include in it the salaries and maintenance of all 
workers ; and be it said in passing that these are at a minimum, all 
our personnel, including our experts, sacrificing salary to the limit 
of their resources and necessities, in order to give their utmost of 
devoted service to the American Committee. We also include sta- 
tionery, lighting, heating, insurance, telephone service and all rents, 
for the five field centres and adjacent foyers. 

Basing our figures again on the typical month of September, 
1922, our total administration expenditure was 10.36% of the month's 
total expenses. 



49 



FINANCIAL REPORT 

In the outline presented in January, we asked for a total budget 
of Frs. 7.060.000 for eighteen months, ending April, 1923, and briefly 
summarized the situation as follows, if that budget was forth- 
coming: 

FINANCIAL DEPARTMENT STATEMENT 

In the report of the Commissioner in France to the Executive 
Committee Frs. : 7.060.000 were requested for the period October 
1, 1921, to April 1, 1923, the net amount expended in cash and mer- 
chandise during the year ended September 30th, 1922, was: Frs.: 
5.480.966.19. 





Amount 
Estimated 

5.000.000.00 

1.000.000.00 

210.000.00 

750.000.00 

100.000.00 


Net expenditure 
during year 

ended 
Sept. 30, 1922 


Balance 
Unexpended 


General Work 


4.520.989.21 
514.832.53 
114.856.36 
201.297.65 
128.990.44 


479.010.79 


Libraries 


485.167.47 
95.143.64 


Atelier de Construction. . . . 
Agricultural Service Anizy. . 


548.702.35 
[28.990.44] 




7.060.000.00 


5.480.966.19 


1.579.033.81 



Monthly average for 18 months 392.222.22 

Monthly average for 12 months 456.747.18 

Monthly average for 6 months 263.172.30 

During the year ended September 30, 1922, we have received 
from the National Committee : 

Francs 4.173.840.00 

Merchandise 83.334.75 



4.257.174.75 



Since October, 1921, conditions have altered the situation con- 
siderably both in America and in France. In America, the difficulty 
of raising money made it impossible to send installments with any 
regularity during this period. In France it has been necessary to 
adjust the work according to the money that came and at the same 
time alter our plans for decentralization according to conditions 
here. 

50 



The Paris office has also had to meet unforeseen expenditure 
with the presence of the Good Will Delegation in France. The final 
plans, however, as presented, including the Training School and 
Public Health Service, the Social Service program, Agriculture, and 
the Administration which is necessary for the carrying on of this 
work, are presented in the following schedule: 

NEW BUDGET COMMENCING APRIL 1, 1923 

Agricultural Extension Work : 

Extension Home Demonstration Work (3 years).... 150.000.00 

Agricultural Extension in the Aisne (1 year) 150.000.00 

Girls' Agricultural Extension in the Aisne (1 year).. .100.000.00 

Training School and Public Health Service 5.000.000.00 

Libraries 400.000.00 

Boy Scouts 200.000.00 

Vic-sur-Aisne Endowment 60.000.00 

Crouy 25.000.00 

Foyers, Permanent Endowment 20.000.00 

Blerancourt Permanent Dispensary 50.000.00 

Centres 300.000.00 

Good Will Delegation 400.000.00 

Administration Including Liquidation : 

Expenses to January, 1924 500.000.00 

TOTAL FRANCS 7.535.000.00 

In regard to this latter, however, it must be remembered that it 
will not be possible to close down our offices to a skeleton organiza- 
tion in April, 1923, as had been contemplated, because all our future 
financial support is based upon the success of the future Good Will 
Delegation in France. And for these we must have a fully equipped 
office in order to accomplish the same phenomenal success in the 
summer of 1923 as we had with our first delegation. If, however, 
we receive the Frs. : 2.886.160 still due us on the Frs. : 7.060.000 
budget before April 1, 1923, we can execute fully all the plans out- 
lined up to that time. 

IN CONCLUSION 

The last six months of five years' work will show you that homes 
have been repaired, fields restored to cultivation, agriculture organ- 
ized, commerce restored, infant mortality reduced, living standards 
raised, social conditions bettered, children and parents helped and 
instructed by books and moving pictures, syndicates and co-operatives 
organized and established — this has been done, and more. Have we 
not the right to say that what we have done has been well done? 
If you want the answer come to our region and tell the French we 
are leaving. 

ANNE DIKE, Commissioner. 

51 



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